I do think there is a real aversion (maybe based on the later years MVJ spent at GH in the 2000s, which became mired in stunts, violence and misogyny) to having too much driving action in the show. The creative team clearly wanted to get back to doing a soap with heartfelt conversations, positive messaging and educating the audience, making sure the characters come off warm with each other as opposed to being cardboard cutouts or just stereotypes or certain soap cliches.
Those notions are all admirable to a point, and I do think a soap should have heartfelt conversations and strive to educate the audience as Agnes Nixon or Labine always did. But there's a difference between educating organically through story and being didactic, or having every third or fourth conversation come off like therapyspeak or an infomercial. Which a lot of material on the show often does. Or constantly reinforcing the positive messaging about how much the Duprees love each other and are there for each other, etc etc. I get that MVJ wants to make sure this family does not end up how the Quartermaines or Wards did on GH 20 years ago (whereas the Qs are replenished today), a bitter, desolate wasteland on canvas, and that they're important to her. And I understand the reluctance to lean into Fronsian stunts or too much macho action. But the show, while enjoyable for me, often seems to shun too much hard action or propulsive movement for fear it will come off stunt-happy, cliched or overly masculine.
The most exciting moment in ages was Jacob walking into that elevator with Grayson. And Kat and Eva should go at it hammer and tongs in a dedicated workplace storyline with their feud being the focus, but instead they just keep having the same conversations with or about each other. A lot of conversations won't cover for harder action and bigger moves - in business, against rivals, with the police or criminals, etc. That's what needs to ramp up for me, in addition to the set issues. Talking through it in the most positive and life-affirming ways possible while 90% of the characters make sure the other people feels seen is not gonna get you there.
By
Vee ·
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